Foldable Lateral Protection Mechanism for Child Seat Side Impact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional child safety seat lateral protecting devices are either non-foldable, occupying excessive space, or foldable but prone to being forgotten in the unfolded state, leading to ineffective protection during emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A lateral protecting mechanism with an automatic unfolding operation, featuring a protecting block, locking component, and operating component, which allows for easy folding and unfolding based on practical demands, ensuring the device is always ready for use and does not interfere with the child carrier's space when folded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional lateral protecting device is fixedly disposed and non-foldable, then the device provides reliable lateral protection, but it occupies excessive space and interferes with other passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting block is designed to be pivotable between an unfolded protective state and a folded space-saving state. The dynamic configuration allows the device to adapt between providing lateral protection and reducing space occupation, resolving the contradiction between reliability and volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral protecting device is divided into a protecting block that can be separated from the main body through pivoting. This segmentation allows the protecting block to be positioned independently - extended for protection or retracted for space efficiency - thereby resolving the space versus reliability contradiction.
2Volume of moving object
If a foldable lateral protecting device is used to save space, then the occupied space is reduced, but users may forget to unfold it before traveling, making it ineffective during emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting block automatically unfolds to the protective position through its pivot mechanism when needed, without requiring user intervention. This self-service characteristic ensures the device is always ready for emergencies, eliminating the reliability issue of user forgetfulness while maintaining the space-saving folded capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The protecting block is pre-configured to automatically assume the unfolded protective state when the child restraint system is installed or when lateral impact is detected. This preliminary action ensures protection is ready before travel begins, preventing the reliability problem of user forgetfulness.
3Reliability
If two foldable lateral protecting devices are configured to be maintained in unfolded states together, then lateral protection is provided on both sides, but users cannot selectively fold one device to save space according to practical demands
Solution Approach 1:
Each protecting block is independently pivotable, allowing dynamic adjustment of each side separately. Users can fold one protecting block while keeping the other unfolded, providing selective space-saving capability while maintaining the option for bilateral protection when needed, thus resolving the adaptability contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The two lateral protecting devices are designed as independent, separable units that can be controlled individually. This segmentation enables selective folding of one side while maintaining protection on the other, providing the versatility to adapt to different practical demands while preserving bilateral protection capability when required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mechanism automatically unfolds to reduce lateral impact forces during emergencies, simplifies operation, prevents user forgetfulness, and allows for convenient space-saving folding, ensuring the device is always functional and space-efficient.
Implementation Method 1
at least one resilient component disposed between the protecting block and the lateral portion of the child carrier for driving the protecting block to pivot
Data Source
AI summary
A lateral protecting mechanism adapted for a child carrier is provided. The lateral protecting mechanism includes a protecting block, a locking component and an operating component. The protecting block is pivotally disposed a lateral portion of the child carrier. The locking component is slidably disposed on the lateral portion of the child carrier and configured to slide to abut against the protecting block for restraining a pivoting movement of the protecting block. The operating component is for driving the locking component to abut against the protecting block when the operating component is operated. Besides, a child restraint system having the aforementioned lateral protecting mechanism is provided.